- Michael Strange was banned from cricket for life seventeen years ago
- The pedophile cricket coach is being investigated by police for the sixth time
- This follows further allegations of child abuse against him
Notorious pedophile cricket coach Michael Strange is being investigated by police for a sixth time after more allegations of child abuse emerged today.
It follows a series of shocking revelations by Mail Sport in recent months, with the ECB now facing further worrying questions over the matter.
The ex-Durham scout and coach was recently convicted for a fifth time, before Mail Sport revealed the ECB would open an investigation into him – 17 years after his lifetime ban from cricket.
At Newcastle Crown Court last week, he was given a two-year extension to the 40-month prison sentence imposed in January 2022.
The survivor, not identified for legal reasons, wrote in his victim impact statement that cricket authorities had failed to “protect me and countless other vulnerable children.”
Pedophile cricket coach Michael Strange (pictured) is being investigated by police for the sixth time following allegations of child sexual abuse
The former Durham coach and scout was banned from cricket for life 17 years ago
He added: “For more than two decades, Michael Strange’s actions and behavior have been a shameful secret.
‘I felt disgust, shame and guilt, but never had the courage to talk to anyone until now.’
Strange is now facing new allegations from a seventh potential survivor, which Northumbria Police have confirmed they are investigating. It is an uncomfortable development for the ECB, now that its approach to the matter is coming into focus again.
It is still unclear why a sixth survivor was needed before the ECB could open an investigation, with Strange permanently disqualified from all cricket in April 2006.
The pedophile was first sentenced to six years in prison in 2012 for abusing young cricketers in the North East between 1990 and 2004.
Later, more survivors came forward over a ten-year period. Some played at Bill Quay cricket club in Gateshead, where Strange was club captain and coach.
He was given three further prison sentences – in 2016, 2020 and 2022 – increasing his sentence for the crimes to 13 and a half years.
In July, Mail Sport revealed that Strange had been shockingly allowed to work with children for six months after being accused of child sex abuse.
The ECB has praised those who came forward to report Strange’s abuse
And then in June we announced that the ECB had contacted the police to discuss opening an investigation into the pedophile, following our approach.
An ECB spokesperson said: ‘The thoughts of everyone at the ECB and within the game are with all the victims of Michael Strange. and we applaud and commend their courage in coming forward. Everyone should be able to play cricket safely.
“We have commenced an internally led investigation to gather further information about the environment in which Strange committed his offenses within cricket, to inform best practice and to further develop the ECB’s security strategy.
‘We are also urging any further survivors to contact police on 101 or report via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website.”